Apparatus for distributing cars.



E. P. HAINES.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING CARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1918. 1,324,113. I Patented Dec. 9,1919.

4 SHEE\T$-SHEET E. P. HAINES.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING CARS.

APPLICATION FILED' FEB. 9,1918.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEE12.

E. P. HAINES.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING CARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9,1918.

- Patented Dec. 9,1919.

\ Q FULL 4040 EMPTY I ILOAO qfi 274040 1 E. P. HAINES.

mum/400m Patented Dec. 9T 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

EDWARD P. HAINES, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PEN N SYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Application filed 'webruary 9, 1918. Serial No. 216,388.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. HAINES, a citizen of the United States, residing in the cit of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, gtate of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Distributing Cars,.of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for use in connection with the-trackage system of a freight yard of such desi n that a succession of cars or groups 0 cars, in being moved by means of a pusher or accelerator over a length of track which preferably includes a hump, will have imparted to them certain definite speeds, whereby they are caused to travel to the ends or other desired portions of the various branch tracks onto which they are switched, and one object of the present invention is to provide a syst m whereby a definite and predetermined speed may be imparted by a suitable motive power device to a car or a number of cars, which speed shall be dependent upon and variable with one or any desired number of such variable factors as the load on or weight of a car, atmospheric conditions as temperature, the direction and velocity of the wind, and the distance which it is desired the car shall travel after being released from such motive power device.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a novel combination of parts whereby the motive power is automatically cut off from the car or group of cars wheirthe 'latter has attained the predetermined speed 9 necessary to carry it to the desired point.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for automatically adjusting the device whereby the motive power is cut off from the car being moved, so that the speed imparted to th latter is caused to vary with the velocity and direction of the wind as well as with the temperature and load, either with or without hand controlled means for determining the speed of each car in accordance with the distance it is to travel as Well as with the car load.

I also desire to provide a system of the above noted typ which shall include means for manually controlling or predetermining the speed imparted by an accelerator to a car eitherin accordance with the load of the latter or with the distance said car is intended to travel,-or both.

' Another object of the invention is to procally, the motive power device or accelerator forming part of my invention, together with certain of the apparatus associated therewith; v

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevation illustrating the apparatus for controlling theoperation of the accelerator; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the electrical connections and apparatus as-' sociated with three of the controlling members forming part of my invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the above drawings, 1 represents a railroad track leading to a freight distributing or make-up yard, whose detail arrangement of tracks, forming no part of the present invention has not been illustrated. The particular part of the maintrack 1 with which the present invention has to do may be several hundred feet in length and preferably includes a so-called hump or raised portion to which the cars are delivered by a locomotive and on or beyond which said cars are accelerated so that each of them will reach its destination on definite ones of the branch tracks and yet without having such a speed upon its arrival as might cause it-to damage any other car at the same point.

To accomplish this end, I provide a pit 2 extending for a suitable distance between or adjacent the track 1 and in this pit provide an auxiliarvtrack 3 for the support of an accelerator diagrammatically illustrated This latter device consists of a frame mounted on wheels 5 and having hingedto it anarm 6 which under conditions of operation will occupy the vertical position shown in Fig. 1, so asto be capable of engaging the bumper or other suitable part of a car, there being a chain or cable 7connecting the upper part of said arm to the for- 'i'eit ill position, ni owing forward inl'o u The loo,

we oppo so that when cnhle l e lhe and held in its while when amid pusher niorod iv; sold collie nus" H io he own wn'dly into in, enrol nos perinit'liinr the :iccelerrd'or lo mics d'cr ucan lilonnicd in suitable henrin; nll-lil'l: iho pi l, are n pair n c: ble drun 9 {Mill Ill.) respectively mounted on elm ljl and l?) and clowning the cable 13 one or whose ends e lo from. it-lie lower part of arm (3 on the frame oi? the eccelernli the drum 9, thence nltcnzitely drums lUnnd 9 13nd finally oi heel; lzo snid nrni on l' i'zol" u untin the 3 Ill), 1 mount on llieir o. ml ll i pair oi geni- \Vlii l5 and 18 which 5% cl]; con ne( 1 on idler l 7 and l drive lho gear 155 Willi the our tied 'lilieren 1th,

from n source of nfirm. sho' 1 in the drowus :1 moire 1 3 through llie shall if) 9 nio'tor, {{{Oillfi and El, on nim liniy shell; and. o I "ch meshes with the gear. ll; 1 ed that in. place of the eleetaricii'noo'ir 1.8 l n -iy employ :1 line shalt driven from n suitable source of power or may utilize a stezin engine to onernte the pusher, without de orming from my iurcntion. i

For controlling. on length which the source power 1L cable drums 9 and I of the .nusher mm on}.

wlnnrchy l closed ling; or Sli: .i tion e'l lily nient (not shown, is ill Cil'tlllll Willi doctors :27 and and :1 switch il this letter is closed i l: cons: said lneclninisiu and open switch and when open com: to nutonml'iczilly close. Uh

.with this nrrzmgg'cinenl of gin lilic speed elf :1 our engaged by the pusher or z wile "nor 4 is dependent upon the leng'lh Illlllo' the switch E29 i'cu'niirm open lhe inuin mom]? circuit has been closed by one :rtionof he swil'ch lunnlle 30 on the rheoslnt 2ilg-the switch being chased In order to very this speed of lhc pusher in accordance with the dirccliei'i and ve locity of the wind, I provide a wind inill zed supporting sfiructure n were; col lean-inc; for a sleeve i ripper end is fixed a frame 34. 1e rigidly attached to it a directa and provides a bearing for a mil si in ,lo 36 to which are attached lllll: WHHl mill blades or vanes 37 together Wllil o beveled 51cm 38. This gear meshes will) :1 end beveled 39 fixed to 21 shaft ll. whim wt s through the sleeve 33, and lhro 'h n pair of beveled gears 41 and 42,

:1 i i, mud n second pair of beveled in and drives a ccntrrl'u nl ov- 4, v V p n e or lo. A n mhle collar ll of this governor lk'l'h upon one arm of a lever 48 whose e rind arm has pivoted to it a depending lllll 1-9 and the second end of the letteris provided nilh n pin or roller operative in :1 slot 10 which extends in a, scale beam 53 on UlI'lOOf c of its supporting pivot 52. The position of the lower end of the link all) in the slot 430 is determined 1) the posivane 35, since the s cove 33 to is lined carries an eccentric 54.611- ;io i cd by on eccentric strap 55 on a rod 56, and lzl .nltcr, through a lever 57 and a link on, is coi'iuee'ted to the link 49 in such manner {lint Gil-1011 the wind is blowing in such a direction as to directly oppose movement of the core a; they travel from the pusher to their muons destinntions 1n the switch yard the lower end. of said link occupies the pooilion in the slot 50 illustrated in Fig. 3. (in the other hand, when the wind is blow inc; 'lroin such direction as to give a 1naxinun-n ussismuce to the inovelnentjof the cars, the vane 3 so shifted us to move the lower e ul of the link 4:9 toils extreme righthand position in die slot 50 and obvimisly with. ilie wind blowing frinn. any quarter inter nwdizilc i'lios noted, the link 4:9 is automatiill :ii'lju position on one side or the other of n e licnl line through the pivot 52.

)llUl d3 wider the first condition noted,

lla. I no :ard liorce exerted by tlfe governorin tnmuo'h the hull: 4-9 would have the some ell ecl u gon the scale beam 53 as the applionion of a weight thereto, while in the latter can 2, or whenever the link 49 acts to the ri int hand side of :1 vertical plane through l'he pivot his 'cl'Fcct upon the scale arm 53 is couivnlmu to the removal of a: weight lluerelronn lVhile said scale arm[ at its llUUl; end may in addition have a greater or lose number of regulating or adjusting iz'eic hto :3?) hung to it, its opposite end, izhrrnagqh o, eerie-4 of links 60, 61', 62 and 63, is connected wil'h the upper end of a swinging one 'or lever (i4- whose lower end (i5 is operative in u llmigltudhml slot in the long arm of a lever 36. The second arm of this latter lever is connected through a link 67 t a lever arm 68 which at its free endcarries the movable contact of the switch 29.

in the slot 50 to :1 correspond i turned through a I controlling windings of sition of said in the arc of a circle so Said lever 68 is also'conncctcd to the movable collar 69 of a centrifugal governor 70 whose balls are turned through a spindle 71, a pair of beveled gear wheels 72 and 73, and a shaft 74-75 driven by the motor 18. The two sections of this shaft are connected through a ratchet or tooth clutch 76, so that when the motor is driving the pusher to accelerate a car, the governor 70 is likewise operated, but is allowed to remain inactive when said motor is reversed so as to bring the pusher back to its starting position.

In addition to the link arm 49 and the weights 59, the scale beam 53 is acted upon by two wei hts 77 and 78, whose pos tions are shifted y a pair ofmotors 81 and 82 upon auxiliary beams 79,and 80 carried by said main scale beam. For this purpose the armature shaft of the motor 81 is connected through beveled ears and a vertical shaft 83 with a suitabTy supported endless belt connected to the weight 77 so as to be capable of moving it upon its supporting bar 79. Similarly the motor 82 is connected through gearing with a-shaft 84 andto a second endless belt, whereby the position of the weight 78 may be shifted upon its supporting arm 80. The point of engagement of the pin carried by the swinging arm 64 with the lever 66, is likewise determined by a motor 85, which through suitable gear-mg is arranged to actuate an endless belt 86 connected to the lower end of the swinging arm 64.

Of these three motors, 81, 82 and 85, the operation of. the first, and consequently the position of the weight 77 upon the scale arm, is made tobe dependent upon the temperature of the-atmosphere, and for the purpose of causing the automatic adjustment of said weight, I provide a thermometer such as the composite or thermostatic bar 90 (Fig. 6), connected to the movable contact 91 of a inulti-point switch 92 so that thepoarm 91 is automatically made 'tochange with variations of temperature.

Said arm has a series of pairs of coacting contacts 93-94, 95-96, 97-98, 99-100 and101-102, arranged in the arc of a circle, audit is noted that the contactsv 93, 95, 97, 99 and 101 are connected through suitable conductors to brushes 103-107, all mounted as to be capable of engaging a contact ring 108. This latter is mounted in a suitable manner so as to be redetermined angle for each revolution of the armature of the motor 81 to which it is connected by shafts 109 and 110, suitably geared together. This ring 108 is also connected to one terminal of a source of current-through a conductor 111.

' The contacts 94, 96, 98, 100 and 102 of the switch 92 are respectivelg connected to the ouble ole electromagnetic switches 112-116, w ose second of push buttons 129-133.

spectivel connected to the positive and negative con uctors 122 and 123.

With the arran ement shown in Fig. 6, if for example, a c ange of temperature occurs such as would cause the thermostatic bar to shift the switch arm 91 from the position shown, into engagement with the two-contacts and 96, then current would be free to flow through conductors 111, ring 108, brush 104, contacts 95,91 and 96, windingof switch 113 and through conductor 117 to the negative supply main. 'As a result,

the switch 113 closes and current is free to flow, from the supply main 122 through .rin section'118, one pair of contacts ofswitc 113, armature of motor 81, the. second pairiv of contacts of switch 113, ring section 120 and thence to the negative supplymain 123, As a consequence, the motor 81"..is put in operation and. shifts the weight 77 on its scale beam toward the pivot 52 until the ring 108 reaches a' position inwhich the brush 104 occupies the space between its two plpen ends whereupon current is cut off. from e-winding and switch 113. This latter immedlately opens, cutting off current'from the motor 81 and stopping, it, at which time the two brushes leading from the contacts of .said' switch have disc a d the rm sections 118 and 120. ng 2'- I Obviously a movement of the thermostatic bar 90 in the opposite direction, such as would be caused by a fall in temperature, results in the closure of one of the, switches 1'14 to 116 inclusive, and by reason of the semi-circular formation of the'ring sections 118-119 and 120-121, as well as'of their coacting'fbrushes, the motor in a reverse direction until it is by reason of the rings 108, etc.

again stopped into positions to disengage their ing moved brushes 81 is operated A practically similar system of rings, niain 3' switches and connections is provided for the manual control of the motor 82 and hence of the position on the scale beam of the weight 78 except that the energization of the windings of the main switches 124-128, is controlled by hand switches usually in the form each includes a fixed and movable con-tact of which the latter is mounted on or actuated by a movable bar to which is connected the armature 134 of an electro-magnet whose 4 bald S'WltOllGS' is UOl'lllQGll'll llivo new y main ant i Winding oi the oorr (in the Qaso illustraileil, tl- As a oonsazqnenco of this no: Mi

Willllllll ol? tho in own in A univnil com 1 no that moi lroin ply main to no and thnnm ihrvi causing l3 rout and. lo ir ier an. mm a 11mm tho ahait i l Will] t do in on shown in liigg. ii, uni l vloiuling from the am i'ch tho manna amparnl. brush 14%;?

the undo of tho ring oonta 1a Hagen l brought to 13 in (,l ,iinergizatimi of tho ooil loo porini'to tho swntcwo 129 and 12 lo upon.

i n oi the n on too auxilruin l on'io right;

posifliom it hoina V i 130 instead of the n W1 L the motor would havo mow the SJHIG direction as; ho tanco. Ii tho witch arrangL-inenlv o, i'l llQCtiOilifi is; suil' lLhr-l; lwarrl Cilia l anlai ii; i llCllllli hand posit in. As indicated in 133 aro marked or throo-quarter lomh ole. load on. the Lliliinioiil; C111 that if a vorlain. car on i niatoly equal fo onoqai-u ti r operation of tho switch l2 will Cause ii weight 78 to he moved to a definitearul (sorrespoiuliug positimi as ovalo ai'ni.

Again in onloi' to the oporaliou of the motor 18 to ho ravioli in aocorilanoo with tho distance which it in ili uiroil lo muse a car or group o'l cars to travai ll orin'ido moann for niaruuilly rogulatiug tho 1 waliou oi? the motor 85 which adjust-ii the iinl', of ongagw lnont of the link Fri "with the) lover arm 66.

For this-purpose I eni pioy a oomhination oi apparatus practically iilenti ml with that for .i load ahpro; ita Cill'lillfllly lulu:

"rifts the Weight; T8, and arl, shown in .liligw 4;, i. til i thmugh a worm and worm 'Wliool, ll 1 drives a shaft 143 which haolixml to it an open caulol Contact ring ll l. and, two sets of senii-oircular rings l-Ji- "H3 and 1-l'7'--1-lS, This same shaft is goaro. o a shaft ill) having fixed to it one of a pair of pulleys which carry a chain or boll so connected to the lower end of the link ii -h la the vase illustrated I have shown four manually ironti'olloil switches 150 453, corroa iioiuling to such ilill'oronoos of car travel in "lll.lflll0ll in Fig l, for example, a vari' .on from fire lniinh'iai to two thousand a l. 'lluiso swindle like the manual. conliollingg nalli-C ma 1 1733, are designed to 'Euiliilll oloavd aftor loang luovtid to a closed ii iii "uni uniil this motor has brought the (l-l; to tho oorrospolnling position on 'Llio lifii'fll arm of at which time the circuit of lulu: luililing winding is opened at, the giroviously explained in conam with Fig, 5, the manual switches rontrol the operation of double u l chen 15i4---15'i', which in turn conapply of current to the motor 85. .[a such a system as that above do-- :u rihmhl'lio winiil mill 31 is at all times niainl'ainul by its vane 35 with the lane of roiation of its lolacles at right img es tov the (inaction of tho wiiui and as a conseqllBl'lCQ tho lever 19 is maintained in a correspoliul'lng position in the slot 50 in scale beam Til-ll Tho i'olociliy of the wind determines the unveil of rotal'ion of tho ram-s 3'? and hence tho spoonl of line halls of the governor 46,

aml thm'o in a rm-suiting downward thrust. on l'ho lever 49 which 15 infective upon the :a-alo lion 1n 5a, on l'ha left hand side of tho llil chili-whining the particular track on which a oar is to be delivered, would as said car appmaclws the, pusher or accelerator -l close that one of the switches l50-- .fih com-0 mruling' lo the distance which ii: is desired said car shall travel on this airtioular track. If for example, tho J 'th is closed, the main. switch 157 automatimilly closes, causing operation of iho motor and a consequent movement of tho nllaiu 86 which cm'itimles until the bar 6-4- has been swung to its oxh'me left hand, position on the lever 66L Thereupon :E'P, whim-h corrospomls (lirnctl u said motor is automatically stopped by reason of the open circuiting of the windings of the two switches 153 and 157 by their ring contacts 144, 146 and 148.

Upon ascertaining that the particular car to be accelerated is loaded to a quarter of its capacity, the operator likewise closes the switch 132, thus causing closure of the main switch 127 and operation of the motor 82 until the weight 78 takes up a corresponding position on the scale beam 80, whereupon the windings of said two switches 132 and 127 are open circuited by the ring contacts 136, 138 and 140. When the car to be placed has been brought by a locomotive, for example, to a position to the right of the accelerator 4, the operator starts themotor 18 by suitable manipulation of the switch 30 so that its arm 6 engagesthe rear bumper of the car. Thereafter he increases its speed until such time that the balls of the centrifugal governor raise the contact carrying end of the arm 68 sufliciently to close the switch 29, whereupon the switch 25 is opened and cuts oil the current from the motor 18.

Obviously this operation of the lever 68 is opposed by a force dependent upon the downward pressure on the link 64 as determined by the direction and force of the wind, 'the temperature of the atmosphere and the load on the car as well as by the distance which it is desired said car shall travel. By having these forces properly proportioned and applied, the car willleave the accelerator at a speed sufficient to carry it to the desired point and yet insutlicient to cause it to damage any other car upon reaching such point.

After the pusher has disengaged the car. the direction of operation of the motor 19 is" reversed by suitable means and said pusher-is returned to its starting point the arm 6 swinging to a horizontal position so as to permit a second car to pass over it ready to be acted upon as above described. As above indicated, the accelerator may be returned to its starting position at any desired speed since when the motor 18 is reversed, the clutch 7 6 operates to disconnect it from the governor 70. Obviously when said accelerator or pusher is again moved by the motor 18 toward the car, its arm 6 is automatically raised into position to properly engage the same.

It will be noted that the wind mill is so coniiected to the scale arm 53 that when the wind opposes movement of the car, it acts to cause the accelerator to be operated at a higher speed, this being due to the fact that the lever-49is exerting a downward force on the end of the scale beam 53. When however, the wind is blowing from a direction to assist car movement, the downward-pressure exerted by the lever 49, acting on the right hand end of the scale beam, tends to cause the motor 18 to be cut out of circuit before the speed of the accelerator has reached such a high point.

While I preferably employ all of the devices above described so as to impart to the car a speed which shall vary with the temperature, direction and velocity of the wind, car load and distance to be traveled, I may. omit one or more of them and cause said speed to be dependent upon the remainder without departing from my invention.

I claim 1. In a car distributin system the combination with a 'car, 0 car accelerating means structurally separate therefrom, a source of power actuating said accelerating means,.means for automatically cutting off the power from said accelerating means when the latter in actuatin said car attains a predetermined speed, an means for predetermining said speed in accordance with a varying condition under which said car is actuated.

2. In a car distributing system, the combination with a car, of car accelerating means, of means responsive to the speed of said accelerating means and car for discontinu ng co-action between said accelerating means and said car, and means for predetcrmining said speed in accordance with an atmospheric condition.

3. The combination of a car'- accelerator; a device for automatically cutting off power from said accelerator; and mechanism dependent on the temperature of the atmosphere for determining the speed of the accelerator at which said device operates.

4. The combination of a car accelerator; a device for automatically cutting off poiver from said accelerator; and mechanism dependent on the direction of the wind relative to a car being moved for determining the speed of the accelerator at which said device operates.

5. The combination of a car acce1erator; a device for automatically cutting off power from said accelerator; and mechanism-dependent on the force of the wind upon a car being moved for determinin the speed of the accelerator at which sai device operates.

. .6. The combination of a car accelerator; a device for automatically cuttin off power from said accelerator; and mec anism dependent on the force and direction of the wind upon a car being moved for determining the speed of the accelerator at which connected to be automatically cut off therefrom when the speed of the governor reaches trifugaljgovernordriven by said accelerator; a source of power for said accelerator ronnctQd to beautoimitically cut off therefrom'when the speed of the governor reaches a predetermined point; and means for predeternnnmg the speed at which the governor operatesto cut off the power from the accelerator, the same consisting of. a member movable by the governor and a manually adjustable device for varying the opposition to said governor in accordance with a condition affecting the behavior of said car. i

2.4. The. combination in a car controlling system of a car accelerator; a centrifugal governor driven thereby a source ofpower forsaid accelerator connected to be automatically cut otf therefrom when the speed of the governor reaches a predetermined point; and means for prcdetermining the speed at which the governor operates to cut off the power from the accelerator the same consisting of a lever movedby the governor;

with means for opposing movement of the lever including mechanism liavinga connection theretoadjustable to. vary the degree of force exertedby said latter means upon the lever.

25. Thc combination in a carcontrolling system of a car accelerator; a source of power therefor; agovernor connected to automatically cut off said accelerator from the source of power; andmeans for deter- -mining the speed at which the governor operates, the same consisting of a lever, a

link connected thereto a'nd adjustable as to itsdistance from the fulcrum of the lever, and manually controlled mechanism for adjusting the position of the link on the lever. 26. The combination in a car controlling system of a. car accelerator; a source of. power therefor; a governor connected to 'automatically cut off said source from the accelerator when the latter attains a -predetermined speed; a weighing, device controlling-the action of the governor; with a plurality of independently adjustable deweighing device.

vices for governing the operation of said 27.'The combination. in a car controlling the distance said car is to be shifted.

system of a car accelerator; a source of power therefor; a governor connected to aiito,-'

matically cut off said source from the accelerator when the latter attains a predetermined speed; a weighing device controlling the action of the governor; with a plurality of independent devices adjustable respectively in accordance with the load on the 'ar being moved and the distance said can is to travel for governing the operation of said weighing device.

28. The combination in a carcontrolling system of a car accelerator; a source of power therefor; a governor connected to auto-' matically cut off said source from the accelerator when the latter attains a predeterthe actionof-the governor: with a plurality of Independent devices adjustable respect1vcl v in accordance with the temperature and the force of the wind for governing the operation of said weighing device.

29; In a car distributing system, the com; bination with a car, ofmeans for-accelerating the same, speed responsive means for cutting off the power-from said accelerating means, and means forpredeterniining the speed at which said means responds in-accordance with the weight of said car and an atmospheric condition.

30. In a car distributing system, the com-- hina-tion with a car, of means for accelerating the same, speed responsive means for cutting off the power from said accelerating .meaus, and means for predetermining the, "speed at which said means responds in accordance with the load on said our and an atmospheric condition.-

31; In a car distributing system, the combination with a car, of means for accelerating the same, speed responsive means for cutting off the power from said accelerating means, and 'means for predetermining the 'minedspeed; a weighing device controlling speed at-which said means responds in ac-' cordance with an atmospheric condition and 32. In a ca'r distributing system, the coinhination with a car, of-means for accelerating the same, speed-responsive means for cutting off the power from said accelerating means, and means for predetermining the speed at which said means responds in accordancewit-h an atmospheric condition, the

is to be shifted.

- mass to he moved, and the distance the car In testimony whereof I have hereunto atlixed my signature this 8th day of FGbllb ar v. 191 8.

. EDWARD P. HAINES. 

